Damn Centaur
by bloodjen
Summary: After a long night in the woods dealing with an annoyed mythical creature the last thing Merlin needs is to be dragged to the Rising Sun and forced to drink. Arthur, however, has other plans. T for safety. Scar Reveal Fic. Slight Merwaine towards the end with a dash of married Arwen. Long One-Shot, and if you want a sequel just let me know.


**My first attempt at Merlin fanfic. Hope I get the character's personalities alright! This is set during the 3-year gap between season 4 and 5.**

"MERRRLIN!"

Gaius sighed. Merlin had once again failed to come home last night, after a druid came asking for help with an angry centaur that was roaming around. Meaning King Arthur had once again missed breakfast.

He turned with the eyebrow of doom raised when the door slammed open revealing an angry king who had obviously dressed himself.

His shirt was inside-out.

"Sire? Is there a reason you are throwing yourself into my chambers?" Arthur looked around before his gaze settled on his court physician. Gaius hid an amused smile at how quickly the King calmed down when facing an annoyed old man.

"Uh, yes Gaius. Have you seen my lazy manservant anywhere? He's forgotten to bring me breakfast _again_!"

"He went out last night and has yet to return." Arthur's face gained a look of realisation.

 _Drat_ , thought Gaius.

"He was at the tavern wasn't he?" Gaius was about to answer when the man in question stumbled into the room.

Merlin had had an _awful_ night. It had taken TWO HOURS to simply find the damn beast and then it turned out the cursed thing was only angry because he had a small stone stuck in his hoof. Said hoof violently kicked out when Merlin attempted to remove the troublesome pebble, striking the young warlock in the chest.

Three times.

The centaur, once the stone was gone, then haughtily trotted away leaving the young man with a fractured rib and a bruised torso. Back and all. Without even a thank you.

He had been hoping to come home to a sympathetic mentor, a day off and some pain relief. Alas the Pratdragon must always be fed on time otherwise all hopes for rest disappear.

" _Mer_ lin."

" _Ar_ thur."

The two men stared at eachother. Light blue into deep blue. King to Warlock. Though the warlock bit was still unknown to the young king.

"So _Mer_ lin where have you been?" From Arthur's face Merlin knew exactly where Arthur thought he had been. He groaned inwardly.

"The forest?" Not technically a lie.

"The forest. So your… ragged appearance would have nothing to do with a tavern then."

 _Prat_ "Nope. Not at all." Merlin finished entering the chambers and sat down, back to the table.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "I know you were at the tavern and as punishment you can prove to the entire roundtable how much you drink, can't you? You must be pretty tolerant by now." Merlin audibly groaned, scrunching his eyes shut, prompting a grin from Arthur. Which Merlin saw.

"Clotpole."

"Excuse me? That's not a word _idiot_ "

Snort

"Coming from the man who wears inside-out shirts." Arthur looked down for a moment and reddened slightly (not blushed, kings do not blush!), while still frowning of course.

"Maybe I should have had the help I pay you for."

"Sorry, I forgot Camelot's esteemed king still hasn't worked out the art of dressing."

"We are not all girls who spend time working out what looks best. Though you do need to work on your dress sense Merlin. Ratty neckerchiefs aren't in style anymore." Merlin faked an offended gasp and put a hand on the named clothing.

"How dare you insult the neckerchief Arthur Pratdragon." Arthur threw his arms in the air and walked away.

"We're going drinking after you've brought me my dinner tonight _Mer_ lin so you'll need to have mucked out the stable, polished my armour, sharpened my sword, washed my clothes AND cleaned my chambers by tonight. And don't forget we're training at midday!" And with that, he was gone.

Merlin looked at Gaius, who had continued working during the boys' banter, and then back at the now empty doorway. He groaned and put his head in his hands.

"Gaius?"

"Yes Merlin?"

"I fractured a rib, can I have some bandages, pain reliever and that stuff that helps with bruises please?" Gaius collected and handed over the named items and watched as his ward removed his shirt and gently bandaged his chest, first rubbing the paste into the bruised skin gently. They were obviously from the centaur; the hoof print was too large for a horse. Merlin took the pain medication with a grimace before replacing his shirt.

"Well, I'll see you later Gaius. Better get on with my chores. Do you need anything today?"

Gaius shook his head smiling fondly but worriedly at his ward. He trusted him to have taken proper care of himself now, but he still worried about the boy. Well, he was a man now.

"No Merlin I don't, go on, get your chores done. See you later, Merlin"

Merlin headed for the door "Bye Gaius!"

"Oh and Merlin?" His ward stopped, looking back.

"Yeah?"

"Have fun tonight, and be careful." Merlin grinned broadly and nodded before heading out.

Arthur finished eating his dinner and stood gesturing to his manservant to come to him. Finally, they were off to the tavern. He had told Gwaine at training to inform the roundtable knights of their night out, and the knight had practically bounced off to inform them of the king's decision. They were meeting the others there, and expected Gwaine to already have drinks out prepared.

He hoped Merlin would finally cheer up a little. His manservant had been a little down all day and kept wincing during training. Arthur had wanted to demand why and rip the man's shirt off to see where he was hurting. However, that wouldn't be appropriate and the rumours about them were bad enough as it is. He is _married_ for goodness sake!

They arrived at the tavern with Merlin still looking annoyed. Arthur decided to give his servant some knightly comfort. A punch to the arm works with the knights. Merlin will just have to accept the gesture.

"Ow! Arthur, what the _hell_?" Or not.

Arthur ignores the protest and half drags his servant to the table where the other knights are. Mugs are already set out and filled, well the ones Arthur and Merlin had yet to occupy. Gwaine had already nearly finished his first drink. He is also the first one to notice them making their way over.

"Hello! I can't believe you actually managed to get Merlin down here, princess."

Ignoring the jab "Well he spends so much time down here I'm surprised it's so difficult." Merlin looks distinctly uncomfortable. Gwaine looks confused and slightly upset.

"You've been drinking without me?"

"Uh..." Merlin's intelligent response is overlooked as they sit down.

Merlin stares at the drink in front of him. Being honest he had only gotten drunk once or twice, and not recently at that. He had no idea how his magic would react or his tongue for that matter. He looks around and sees both Arthur and Gwaine's expectant looks. _Dammit Gaius_ he thinks before drinking half the glass in one go. And then splutters slightly making the table erupt with laughter.

He keeps on drinking little sips, trying to make the second half last. But then the others are starting on their second (Or in Gwaine's case his third) and he has to at least keep up until Arthur forgets about this. Then Gwaine (already tipsy) shouts "DRINKING GAME, come on Merlin, let's get bladdered!" and wraps an arm around Merlin's shoulders. Merlin sighs slightly.

A triangle of mugs is slowly set up and Gwaine takes over the rules whilst finishing off his fourth mug. Everyone else is starting their third, even Merlin despite his protests. Unfortunately, he's also already half-drunk so said protests are becoming rather feeble and being replaced by giddy grins and giggles.

"Right lads, this is game is called _Strip_ _Coin_." Giggles from Camelot's respected Knights and King. "To play you take a coin and flip it into a mug from" He stands at the furthest part of the table from the triangle "here. If you land in a mug you don't have to do anything. However, if you miss you must drink a big swig of that jug there "he points to the powerfully smelling jug of expensive mead "and take off a piece of clothing. Whoever has the most clothes left on by the time the jug is empty wins! No taking off breeches however. Shirts, boots, socks, jackets, even neckerchiefs, can all come off but no showing off your areas. Get me?" All the knights nod, glad they won't be getting completely nude in front of the entire tavern.

Merlin however bites his lip and his bruise prickles. Spending the entire day working hadn't helped fade the damn thing so if his shirt came off everyone would see it.

However, he joins the others in piling together where Gwaine was.

Several rounds later and clothing losses were:

Arthur – Jacket, boots and one sock.

Gwaine – Everything but breeches obviously (however being completely wasted helps him no longer care).

Percival – Boots and both socks.

Elyan – One boot, jacket, top shirt (he had an undershirt on).

Leon – Jacket, shirt and undershirt. (Shirtless Leon!)

Merlin - Boots, socks, jacket and neckerchief.

Merlin took the coin in his hand stumbling slightly not expecting it to be warm. He is blind drunk like Gwaine and he couldn't tell the others were amused, being as Gwaine had 3-4 (you can never tell with Gwaine) more drinks than the younger man. He also had completely forgotten he doesn't want to lose the shirt for a more important reason than if he does he'll lose the drinking game.

He stares at the mugs, taking aim with his tongue stuck out and the entire table goes silent.

He flicks the coin.

And it lands.

On top of the edges of three mugs in the centre of the triangle. Merlin blinks.

And then the entire table starts laughing and Gwaine announces that it didn't go in.

Merlin starts taking the shirt off but stops a frown forming. Arthur looks at him but being drunk as well, just gestures the knights to go to Merlin and give him a hand.

The poor idiot probably forgot how to take it off.

 _He's completely drunk_ Arthur thinks and stops himself laughing at the mere memory of the idiotic things his friends had been chatting about with the young servant. The slightly less drunk Elyan and Leon start tugging on Merlin's shirt. But then he scoots away, pushing it down shaking his head.

"I can't guys. I'm sorry but I can't." The wasted Gwaine ignores (or maybe doesn't hear) his protests and with Arthur's help they manage to wrestle the shirt off of Merlin, who had started to panic, unnoticed by all. He starts repeating "No, no, no please stop, you can't see" but goes unheard.

What they see under the shirt sobers them all, even Gwaine, bringing their attentiveness crashing back. Arthur looks at Merlin's panicked face then looks back down at his chest.

A large horse-shoe shaped and impressively purple bruise sits near the bottom of his ribs in the centre of his chest. (Unknown to them all Merlin had removed the bandage so he could move unhindered by the large cloth. Plus, it was itchy.) However, it's not just the bruise that catches his attention.

It's the scars.

Arthur had seen less on a senior knight reaching retirement. Merlin didn't seem to realise it was the scars catching their attention as he covered the bruise. It was too large to be a horse but what else could it be? Arthur grabbed his servant by the shoulder and pulls him out the tavern, gesturing to the knights to follow.

Guinevere was laid in bed reading a small book on how a queen acts in court when Arthur, pulling along Merlin, walked in followed by the knights of the round table. Thankfully she was still dressed and just laid on the bed rather than in her nightgown. The men, however, appeared to have lost the majority of the clothes, Gwaine was missing all but breeches along with-. She gasped upon seeing the bruised and scarred chest of her closest friend.

She managed to say a quiet "What happened?" which drew all their attention. Arthur turned to Merlin finally letting the boy go and speaking to him "Sit."

Merlin looked at him shocked "What?"

"Merlin, sit down here with me, please." Merlin turned to Gwen at the sound of her voice and sat next to her, hesitating all the way and hanging his head when he had settled.

Gwen looked at the make-shift family that was the royals, the knights and Merlin. Gaius was part of it too but he was probably in bed asleep and it'd be rude to wake him.

"Arthur, what happened?"

"We were playing this drinking game of Gwaine's which included… um stripping down to breeches. No further…" he trailed off but at the now slightly annoyed look in his wife's eyes he carried on. "Merlin ran out of all other clothes except his shirt and he wasn't taking it off so we did it for him and then he was freaking out and the shirt was off and we all saw the scars and stuff and "he took a breath of air "and I didn't know where else to bring him." He looked at the top of Merlin's head "Merlin, where did you get all those scars?"

Merlin's head lifted and looked slightly confused before looking down. The walk here and shock of what was happening had sobered him mostly but he and Gwaine (being the ones who drank the most) were still inebriated. He touched some of the scars, inspecting his chest. Then he looked at his back and Gwen jumped up with a gasp.

"Merlin! What is that!" The knights looked at her and then walked round to looks at the servants back. It was Percival who answered the Queen's question.

"It's a Serket sting… But no one survives those. I've only seen these as open wounds on a corpse before…" Everyone looks at Percival then back to Merlin, who was looking round.

Merlin looks at Percival when the quiet knight sat next to him, and looked directly into his eyes as he spoke. "Merlin, when and how did this happen."

Merlin felt conflicted. Could he tell them without _telling_ them? He took a small breath and shakily spoke.

"Uh, I got them a while back… Arthur you remember the skeleton army right?" he waits for Arthur's nod before continuing "Well, I suppose I can tell you now, Morgana was already working with Morgause back then… I knew but you can't exactly speak against the King's ward without a death wish…" He chuckles darkly "I followed her out the castle, and she knew somehow. She revealed she knew when she had already met with Morgause and well… I got knocked out…"

He trailed off unsure whether to continue. They all looked shocked mixed with a good dose of horrified. Percival clasped a hand on his shoulder and Gwen had sat back down during his explanation, placing a gentle hand on his knee. He gives her small quick smile in return before carrying on.

"When I woke up they had chained me up with magical chains and put me in the middle of the darkling woods. At night. They told me what they were doing in the usual _you're going to die so I'm going to gloat_ speech. And left me. I struggled for a while obviously but then the Serkets came… One stung me and I don't remember much after that (except the blinding pain, however he spared them that) but someone helped me and left me near Camelot, in the field where we faced the dragon in fact. As soon as I could, I made my way back to Camelot, and I managed to break the staff which Morgana later claimed to have broken."

Arthur stared at him with dawning comprehension then spoke. "So when you said you were dying…. You actually were." The knights and Gwen looked at Arthur with wide eyes while Merlin merely laughed and said "Yup." Which stopped Gwaine from committing treason.

He stopped when they carried on staring. He looked down at the front of his chest but then felt Percival touch the back of his neck. His hand shot up feeling the line where Gaius had removed the Fomorrah twice. He sighed and looked at Gwen who had followed the quiet knight's touch. It was her who began that tale.

"That's from the Fomorrah." Confused looks were sent her way so she explained. "It's a… kind of snake, dark magic. I only knew because I had to knock Merlin out. Twice" she smiled at him apologetically "Morgana placed one in the back of Merlin's neck and it basically took away his will and replaced it with the only thought of killing Arthur." Merlin shifted uncomfortably as the room gasped. Percival stood to stop Gwaine collapsing- from shock or mead even after the sobering conversation is unclear.

Arthur spoke "We'll continue this tomorrow. I want to understand that burn." Everyone had seen the dinner-plate sized circular burn above the bruise but hadn't dared ask.

Everyone nodded and slowly they filed out the room.

Merlin landed in bed with a groan and shivers of fear trailing up his spine.

The burn is from Nimueh. How in Albion can he explain escaping a high priestess after pissing her off enough to be the target of a fireball?

No one sleeps easy that night.

Arthur woke, and watched his wife as she slept in his arms.

So peaceful.

An adoring smile forms on his face, which grows as she awakes, her eyes blinking away the sleep. Seeing Arthur makes her own smile appear.

"Hey." She whispers to him, unwilling to completely ruin the serene quiet.

"Hey." He murmurs back leaning forward to kiss his –

Then the doors slam open and Merlin practically yells "LETS HAVE YOU, LAZY DAISY" whilst nosily 'placing' down the breakfast tray. He then whips open the curtains, causing Arthur to remember the amount he had to drink.

It was worth the headache though.

Seeing Merlin drunk,

seeing Gwaine and Merlin trying to dance when a bard sang together while drunk,

playing that drinking game.

Seeing Gwaine and Merlin lose the drinking game.

Merlin's face when the coin landed.

Merlin's face when his shirt came off.

Shirtless.

Bruise.

Scars.

Arthur sits up suddenly making Merlin, who had been about to steal his pillows, and Guinevere jump in surprise. He stares at Merlin, who gulps. His wife gasps as she remembers too.

"You."

"Me?" Merlin attempts to sound confused. He fails.

"You have more explaining to do. I'm calling a roundtable meeting. Only the knights, me and Guinevere, you and Gaius. Go now." Merlin's face drains of colour and Arthur _nearly_ gives in.

"Now!" Merlin goes grumbling about _prats_ and _royal_ _clotpoles with a hangover._

He feels Guinevere's disapproving glare but combats it with the " _what else can I do?"_ face.

Gwaine is annoyed. Worriedly annoyed. Or annoyedly worried? Doesn't matter. All that matters is that his best mate has been in two horrible situations at least with barely any support from anyone.

Gwaine decides he's just worried.

When the man in question comes and tells him to go to the roundtable meeting even his hangover is forgotten in place for finding out _what in Camelot was his friend thinking?!_

Gwaine is first there except Merlin and Gaius. Both of whom look worried. Merlin actually looks…scared? He's faced evil snakes and Serkets unhindered, but a conversation _about_ them spooks him. Sometimes Gwaine does worry about Merlin's sanity.

Within 10 minutes the rest of those asked arrive Arthur being the last (Gwen had come with Elyan).

Merlin shifts as everyone's eyes turn to him. But he looks them all in the eye as he speaks.

"I do a lot behind the scenes. I'm not going to deny it but, there's some things that… hurt more than others. I just ask when I'm explaining you just let me. Ask me questions, sure, just don't… go overboard please." They all look at him and Gaius looks more shocked than most of them when he removes his shirt. He shrugs "Easier to start if you can see what I'm going on about.". He points to two mace wounds on his shoulder. One is very old, the other is fairly new. The one he got before he disappeared for that day. They all know the newer one but only Arthur seems to recognise the older one. Arthur speaks before Merlin can.

"Our second meeting! You never mentioned being injured. You started work only two days later Merlin!" Merlin smiles before Gwaine has the chance to yell at Arthur.

"It wasn't that bad to be fair."

Merlin then pointed to the smaller ones, a mix of nicks, cuts and small burns.

"Knife, axe, cooking pot, training session, bandit, sorcerer, sword, sword, whip, tree branch, bandit, training, training, prank, sharpening, stairs, step, I-don't-Know-I-just-tripped, and stairs. From what I can remember." Gwaine comes to his senses first.

"Whip?! When did someone take a whip to you the bastards! Who were they I'll ki- "

"It was years ago, before I ever came to Camelot. I don't remember their names now, pretty sure they became bandits." It was Gwen who saw something missing there.

"Merlin…How old… was you? When it happened" Merlin licked his lips and even Gaius looked like he didn't know about this one.

"I was 8 or 9. Happened soon after the tree branch incident actually." The subject was dropped as Leon keyed in with the important question.

"What about the burn?"

The room looked to Leon then Arthur and finally Merlin as they processed the question. Merlin looked like he was thinking hard. And then a look of determination crossed his face. Gwaine was immediately worrieder. Is that a word? He didn't particularly care, only thing he was concerned with was Merlin.

"It was Nimueh" They only just heard the quiet reprimand from Gaius at the abrupt reply. Leon, Arthur, Gwen and Gaius all seemed to recognise the name but the other roundtable knights looked confused. Arthur explained.

"Nimueh is, or was, a high-priestess of the old religion. Thought to have given up or died due to a sudden stop of attacks. She was highly powerful and vengeful due to the Great Purge. What did you do to annoy her enough to- do that?" The end failed rather pathetically but the question still stood and Merlin answered that worrying look still in his eyes, Gaius seemed to be paler than usual but went unnoticed.

"I stopped her from killing you." Stunned silence.

"W-what?"

"The afanc, that was her. I worked out fire was needed to kill it. I may not have dealt the final blow but I gave you the information to do it." Arthur remembered Merlin yelling to use the torch. Gods, he'd thought the boy _insane,_ but had no other choice.

"The poisoned chalice wasn't actually meant for you, she intended to get me out the way knowing I would drink it. But if I hadn't you still would've died so in a way we both stopped her getting what she wanted then." He paused for a moment.

"She was also the one who raised the wraith, Tristan de Bois."

Gwaine, confused decided to speak up. "So how does this lead to you getting burnt?"

"The questing beast happened. No one survives it but- "

"Hey! I survived it." Merlin throws him a look and he quietens down.

"No one survives them but I couldn't let you die. For those who don't know, we were hunting and the damn thing attacked us. So we came back and then got sent out again where Arthur got bitten." He sounded rather pissed. "I asked Gaius and then- "he bit his lip and looked at Gaius who gave him nothing. "a friend. The friend told me I could go to the Isle of the Blessed and speak to a high priestess. She could give me the way to save Arthur. So I did" They all left the anonymous friend in awe of the fact Merlin went alone to speak with a powerful sorceress.

"My friend didn't tell me that the priestess would be Nimueh, however. I got there and then she went on some spiel about not wanting to kill us. She told me if Arthur were to drink water from the cup of life he would live. However, a price must be paid. I… I was prepared to pay it…"

They all looked at eachother and then at Merlin's faltering face.

"Merlin mate, what… gods what in Camelot did you pay?"

"A life for a life…" It was muttered yet all of them heard it and a few of the knights actually stood in shock of the murmured statement. Arthur simply stared, in some state of abject shock.

"I told her I was happy to do it so she gave me a flask with water from the cup of life. I gave Arthur the water. Told Uther it was some new medicine." Merlin chuckled slightly. "The prat woke up. And so did I. At first I thought I'd managed to cheat death but…" he shuddered "It just passed onto my mother." Gwen gasped, her hands covering her mouth. "I decided to go back straight away but I went to my friend first. He knew I wouldn't end up paying it but he lied." Merlin was practically growling but took a breath and calmed down, Gwaine just wanted to hug him. "By the time I got back and then got ready Gaius had gone in my place, knowing what I intended to do. I headed there straight away but- "He faltered and once again looked at Gaius who sighed deeply and took over.

"I got to the isle first and bargained my life for Hunith's. She was grievously ill and I couldn't allow Merlin to go through losing his mother in that way, especially as he would have definitely blamed himself for it." He gave Merlin a long look, making the victim of his stare flush. "Nimueh carried out the ceremony and I'll allow Merlin to finish up from there." Merlin glared at him slightly and Gwaine leaned forward. Something was definitely missing from this, something that was very important to the youngest and eldest of the round table.

Merlin sighed slightly and shifted. He looked at the burn as if curious. Gwaine shivered, staring at the grotesque circle imprinted on his best friend's chest.

"Gaius… H-he was dead." The knights who had stood quickly replace themselves in their seats again. Merlin continued. "I tried to make her take me instead but she wouldn't. She said it was the old religion's choice but I knew it was her. I could tell." Gwaine's brow furrowed as he leaned forward. What was he missing? He decided to voice this.

"Mate you're not telling us something here." Nods from the knights reinforced his unsaid question.

"I know… it's just difficult. Anyway uhm… I got mad at her. Really mad, I don't think I've ever wanted to h-hurt someone like that…ever. Before and since…" That raised eyebrows and Gwen's arm was quickly laid on Merlin's.

"Merlin. What happened to Nimueh?" Percival spoke, and it truly dawned on the other knights that this priestess sounded as much as a threat as Morgana is, yet none of them who had come recently had even heard of this woman before now.

"I killed her." Arthur looked stunned, and in any other situation Gwaine would have been laughing, yet he could feel he himself was copying this expression. Though in a more dignified way of course.

"H-how?" Leon stuttered out. Looking round Gwaine saw it wasn't just Arthur who was shocked at this. Merlin was the type of guy who hated hunting seeing it as ' _needless murder of small and fluffy creatures'_ not the kind who kills people in a rage. That was like Arthur or some of the other knights.

Merlin looked scared, Gwaine also saw with a shock. This was what he was missing. He could taste the fact he was going to find out what had been escaping his knowledge about his lanky friend.

"With" Merlin took a breath and said something none would have expected.

"With magic."

Gwaine blinked. Once. Twice. Then "what" came spilling out his mouth at the same time as Arthur's.

"With magic." Merlin repeated it sounding more sure but jumped back in his chair as Leon, getting over his shock, leapt up and drew his sword, aiming it Merlin's face. Gaius looked like he wanted to faint, yell (at whom is debatable), face palm and hug (Merlin) all at the same time. Elyan and Gwen were both wringing their hands in an eerily similar way while Percival watched on curiously. It was him who broke the tense silence.

"That makes sense." The others, including Merlin, stare at him. "Well, it does. The tree branches, clumsy bandits dropping swords and tripping up. The insanely impossible situations we all survive when no one else does." Leon lowers his sword slightly. This was the most they had ever really heard Percival speak… Since Lancelot at least. Gwen takes up as it becomes apparent he's said his piece.

"M-Merlin?"

"Gwen?" They had all looked to their queen when she spoke but at the fearful tone Merlin once again has the attention of all there. And Leon lifts his sword again, to Gwaine's frustration. He nearly yells at Leon but Gwen continues.

"H-how long have you studied m- it?"

"I didn't I- Don't look at me like that I'm not lying Arthur! I was born like this. Do you really think I would have chosen to be a monster?" Gaius cuffs his head while everyone else reels in shock. Gwaine finds he doesn't even care about the magic, or the born with it bit. He stands and walks up to his best friend and pulls him up standing into a hug, away from Leon's sword. He murmurs so only Merlin can hear "Do not ever think that. You are not a monster." He feels Merlin stiffen under him and lets the younger go.

Leon had lowered his sword to avoid spearing Gwaine but looked annoyed by it. Merlin continued.

"I don't remember the first time I used magic, I just did. I was just born, opened my eyes and my mother says they were gold and all the candles in our house just lit up. Thankfully it was late so no one was there but it scared my mother half to death." His voice broke slightly and he sat back down, Gwaine copying the movement into his own seat.

Arthur looked ready to explode. However, he voice was deceptively calm. "Seven years Merlin. Two of which I have been king. Yet. You never told me. Explain." The thinly-veiled anger on his face left Gwaine knowing Merlin had to be truthful and from the young man's face, he knew it too.

And so he did. Merlin spoke for hours, tales of dragons and monsters, magic and betrayal, love and loss. Leon had sat down after the first tale finished. And by the fifth all of them were on the edge of their seats in shock and awe. Gwaine was the first to hold him when he spoke of things that still hurt.

Merlin let everything go that night.

Every gain and loss, victory and defeat from his childhood to the year before where he trapped Morganas' magic so she couldn't help Helios in the battle for Camelot.

They finished late that night and they all slowly departed Arthur and Guinevere starting the movement, but Gwaine grabbed Merlin before he and Gaius could return to their own rooms. "I'm stealing Merlin, I'll bring him back in the morning okay?" Gaius nodded, smiling softly at his ward.

Merlin groaned as Gwaine dragged him away. He just wanted to go to bed and have a minute to think. He was so happy, Arthur had suggested beginning the repeal on the magic ban but he had been speaking all day. He and Gwaine arrived at the drunkard knight's chambers and once inside Gwaine hugged Merlin tightly.

He returned the hug after a moment allowing the knight to take his weight slightly. "I should've told you… I'm sorry." Gwaine shook his head at the whispered apology and simply grinned at the Warlock. Then shoved the surprised man onto his bed and jumped in beside him, instantly falling asleep.

After sighing and getting underneath the covers, knowing that if he left Gwaine would use this as blackmail material for months, he got comfy and fell asleep, smiling gently.

And if they woke up together cuddled up, no one said anything.

And if they started becoming _a thing_ no one said anything either.

Well until they started kissing in public. Then Arthur had A LOT to say.

And years later Merlin would grin and tell the future generations of Camelot how if it wasn't for that damn centaur, things could have ended very differently, and that no event, however small, is ever insignificant.

And then proceed to punch a laughing Gwaine.

 **This took forever to write but im super pleased with it. Earlier parts will be better quality than later but everything has had a check over at least once. Thank you for reading this, it's a bit lengthy and if im honest I wanted to write it out more but then I saw the word count. This would have probably been better as a two-parter but ah well. The Merwaine wasn't really planned and I hope it doesn't mess things up, it is easily ignored and there's only two lines of anything that close friends** _ **wouldn't**_ **do so… yeah. Reviews will always be loved and once again thank you for bothering to read it in the first place.**


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